DOD’s Only Female 4-Star Takes Reins at AMC | AI Beats Human in Dogfight

Aug. 21, 2020

Edited by Amy McCullough with Rachel S. Cohen, Brian W. Everstine, Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory and John A. Tirpak

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. salutes incoming Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost during an Aug. 20, 2020, change of command ceremony. AMC photo.

Van Ovost Sworn in as AMC Boss, Becoming Military’s Only Female Four Star

By Brian W. Everstine

Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost received her fourth star and took over leadership of Air Mobility Command during an Aug. 20 ceremony at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. With the change of command and the retirement of her predecessor, Gen. Maryanne Miller, Van Ovost takes over as the Defense Department’s only female four-star general at a time when the service is looking inward at issues of diversity and inclusion. A former test pilot with more than 4,200 hours in 30 aircraft, Van Ovost now leads a command working to bring on a new tanker while still keeping its legacy tanker fleet healthy to meet an unending need for refueling and airlift. “Standing in the stadium, in 1988 at the Air Force Academy, about to throw my hat in the air, I never would have thought I [would become] a four-star,” Van Ovost said in an interview. “I was very focused on being a pilot, and being the best pilot I could be, and to make a difference in that way. And here we are, standing at the precipice of what might be called a pinnacle of military leadership. But frankly, it’s not so much a pinnacle. For me, it’s a new beginning. It’s a new opportunity to ask key questions, to shape the force in a way to make sense, and provide clarity to the strategic environment that we live in.”

Artificial Intelligence Easily Beats Human Fighter Pilot in DARPA Trial

By Brian W. Everstine

An artificial intelligence algorithm developed by Heron Systems easily beat an experienced Air Force F-16 pilot in a series of simulated dogfights, as part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-led effort to prove the feasibility of AI flying aircraft. The AI gunned down the pilot five times in a row, a clean sweep, in the simulated, guns-only dogfight. The company beat out seven other entrants in a tournament before advancing to the finals. The AI system, which operated within the maneuvering and speed limits of a real F-16, was not limited by Air Force doctrine and methods that are embedded in training, the pilot said. The trial is part of DARPA’s overall Air Combat Evolution Program aimed at proving that AI can operate an aircraft and possibly become part of the Air Force’s fleet in the near future.

ACC Revives 15th Air Force for Conventional Ops

By Rachel S. Cohen

The Air Force on Aug. 20 revived 15th Air Force as its largest organization overseeing conventional weaponry, giving the World War II-era group new purpose for 21st-century warfare. Air Combat Command is shifting the fighter jets, battle management aircraft, strike drones, and search-and-rescue helicopters from Ninth and 12th Air Forces under the new 15th Air Force. That umbrella organization will manage daily wing operations so the lower-level officials at 9AF and 12AF can focus on supporting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Southern Command, respectively.

New Bosses at SPACECOM, NORTHCOM

By Amy McCullough

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper oversaw leadership changes for two combatant commands—U.S. Space Command and U.S. Northern Command—during back-to-back ceremonies at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., on Aug. 20. Army Gen. James H. Dickinson assumed command of SPACECOM from USAF Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, who will remain the head of the U.S. Space Force, the Defense Department’s newest military service. USAF Gen. Glen D. VanHerck succeeded Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy as commander of NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command. O’Shaughnessy, who has led the combatant command since May 2018, retired after 34 years in uniform.

Pentagon Nears Decision on Transferring Army, Navy Systems to Space Force

By Rachel S. Cohen

The Space Force is nearing an agreement with the Army and Navy about which of their technologies and organizations will transfer into the new space service, a top Space Force official said Aug. 20. It’s a critical decision that could make or break how well the Space Force can manage the military’s space-based communication, missile warning, surveillance, and more. The service was created as part of a Pentagon-wide push to streamline and better wield space policies and capabilities. “Expectation is that we will come to agreement in the next few weeks and then begin to work on the details to transfer those in the next fiscal year,” Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson said.

COVID Delays F-35 Full-Rate Production as Pentagon Debates 6th-Gen Capability

By John A. Tirpak

The end of F-35 operational testing and declaration of full-rate production will likely come in March 2021, three months later than expected, Pentagon acquisition and logistics czar Ellen M. Lord told reporters at a Pentagon press conference on Aug. 20. She said the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the process down, but she is visiting the Joint Simulation Environment facility next week to assess its progress and offer resources to bring operational testing to a close by March. Lord also said Pentagon budget deliberations now underway are assessing the right mix of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-generation fighters—the first time the Pentagon referred to development fighters beyond the F-22 and F-35 as “sixth-generation” aircraft.

Travis AFB Evades Fire Damage, But Evacuation Order Remains

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Non-essential personnel won’t be allowed to return to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., for at least one more day, and most base services remain shuttered after the LNU Lightning Complex Fire forced personnel and aircraft to preventatively evacuate from the installation on Aug. 19, according to a Facebook update from the base. The blaze is still “a local threat to areas outside the base perimeter,” but hasn’t damaged the installation or any Defense Department assets, and the 60th Air Mobility Wing evacuated or secured all of its aircraft, the post noted.

Virtual Events: Roper Hosts ABMS ‘Ask Me Anything’, and More

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

On Aug. 25, Air Force acquisition boss Will Roper will host an “Ask Me Anything” event about the Advanced Battle Management System that will be moderated by Air Force Chief Architect Preston Dunlap. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube, and you can learn more about it here.

Radar Sweep

Snapshot: DOD and COVID-19

Air Force Magazine

Here's a look at how the Defense Department is being impacted by and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pandemic Is Pushing the Pentagon Toward Classified Telework

Nextgov

The Defense Information Systems Agency and the U.S. Air Force are expanding their classified remote work capabilities.

Bypassing Pentagon Pleas, Lawmakers Say Military Health System Reforms Will 'Stay the Course'

Military.com

Leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have reaffirmed their commitment to reform of the military health system despite calls from the service Chiefs for adjustments.

Trump Reaffirms Plan to Withdraw All US Troops from Iraq

The Associated Press

President Donald J. Trump on Aug. 20 reaffirmed his plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq as quickly as possible as he met with the prime minister of Iraq to discuss ways to rein in pro-Iran militias in the country and counter residual threats from Islamic State group sleeper cells.

Iran Unveils New Missiles as Tensions between Washington and Tehran Mount over Arms Embargo

CNBC

Iran unveiled a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Aug. 20, a move likely to peeve Washington as the Trump administration attempts to rein in the regime’s missile and nuclear weapon ambitions.

Air & Space Forces Add Cyber to All-Domain Ops Data Library

Breaking Defense

The Air and Space Forces are starting to add cyber sensor data to create a comprehensive battlefield picture to underpin all-domain operations, says Maj. Gen. Kimberly A. Crider, senior mobilization advisor to Space Force chief Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond.

U.S. Military Eyes a Role in the Great Power Competition for Lunar Resources

SpaceNews

The competition for the moon between the United States and China is being closely watched by the Defense Department as the military expects to play a role protecting U.S. access to cislunar space.

SpaceX Still Pressing Ahead with Its Air Force Lawsuit, Despite Winning Coveted Air Force Contract

The Verge

SpaceX is still pressing ahead with its lawsuit against the Air Force over rocket development money the company didn’t receive two years ago—despite just winning a more than $300 million contract from the Air Force to launch military satellites during the 2020s. In a new court document, SpaceX is arguing that not getting the funds caused “substantial harm” that still remains.

Culmination of 18-Month Effort Will Spur Stronger U.S. Drone Industrial Base for Future Innovation

DOD release

The Defense Innovation Unit, a Defense Department organization that accelerates commercial technology for national defense, announced the availability of five U.S.-manufactured drone configurations to provide trusted, secure small unmanned aircraft systems options to the U.S. government.

Syria Agrees to Let Russia Expand Hmeimim Air Base

Reuters

Syrian authorities have agreed to give Russia additional land and coastal waters in order to expand its military air base at Hmeimim, a Russian government document published on Aug. 19 showed.

One More Thing

The Untold Story of the Black Marines Charged with Mutiny at Sea

The New York Times Magazine (Subscription Required)

Racial strife aboard a Navy ship left three men facing the threat of the death penalty. They became little more than statistics in the military’s dismal record of race relations in the Vietnam era.